Across the Zodiac eBook

The girl retired for a few minutes, and reappeared
in a cloak and veil like those of her new companions,
but of comparatively cheap materials. As we passed
the threshold, Eveena gently and tacitly but decisively
assigned to her protegee her own place beside
me, and put her right hand in my left. The agitation
with which it manifestly trembled, though neither
strange nor unpleasing, added to the extreme embarrassment
I felt; and I had placed her next to Eunane in the
carriage and taken my seat beside Eveena, whom I never
permitted to resign her own, before a single spoken
word had passed in this extraordinary courtship, or
sanctioned the brief and practical ceremony of marriage.

I was alone in my own room that evening when a gentle
scratching on the window-crystal entreated admission.
I answered without looking up, assuming that Eveena
alone would seek me there. But hers were not the
lips that were earnestly pressed on my hand, nor hers
the voice that spoke, trembling and hesitating with
stronger feeling than it could utter in words—­

“I do thank you from my heart. I little
thought you would wish to make me so happy. I
shrank from showing you the letter lest you should
think I dared to hope.... It is not only Velna;
it is such strange joy and comfort to be held fast
by one who cares—­to feel safe in hands as
kind as they are strong. You said you could love
none save Eveena; but, Clasfempta, your way of not
loving is something better, gentler, more considerate
than any love I ever hoped or heard of.”

I could read only profound sincerity and passionate
gratitude in the clear bright eyes, softened by half-suppressed
tears, that looked up from where she knelt beside
me. But the exaggeration was painfully suggestive,
confirming the ugly view Enva had given yesterday of
the life that seemed natural and reasonable to her
race, and made ordinary human kindness appear something
strange and romantic by contrast.

“Surely, Eunane, every man wishes those around
him happy, if it do not cost too much to make them
so?”

“No, indeed! Oftener the master finds pleasure
in punishing and humiliating, the favourite in witnessing
her companions’ tears and terror. They
like to see the household grateful for an hour’s
amusement, crouching to caprice, incredulously thankful
for barest justice. One book much read in our
schools says that ’cruelty is a stronger, earlier,
and more tenacious human instinct than sympathy;’
and another that ’half the pleasure of power
lies in giving pain, and half the remainder in being
praised for sparing it.’ ... But that was
not all: Eveena was as eager to be kind as you
were.”

“Much more so, Eunane.”

“Perhaps. What seemed natural to her was
strange to you. But it was your thought
to put Velna on equal terms with us; taking her out
of mere kindness, to give her the dowry of a Prince’s
favourite. That surprised Eveena, and it puzzled
me. But I think I half understand you now, and
if I do.... When Eveena told us how you saved
her and defied the Regent, and Eive asked you about
it, you said so quietly, ’There are some things
a man cannot do.’ Is buying a girl cheap,
because she is not a beauty, one of those things?”